Method of mounting pivot-bearings for timepieces.



0. OHLSON.

METHOD or MOUNTING PIVOT BEARINGS FOR TIMEPIBGES.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.15, 1913.

104,700. I Patented July 21, 191

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OLOE OHLSON, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO WA LTHAM WATCH COMPANY, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSETTS.

v'MIEFHOIl'J OF MOUNTING PIVOT-BEARINGS FOB TIMEPIICES.

Original application filed Ju1y 12, 1911,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

To all whom it may concern: 1 Be it. known that I, Onor Onrson, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of ,Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented oer.-

tain new and useful Improvements in Methodsof Mounting Pivot-Bearings for Timepieces, of which the following-is a specification. I

The, present invention relates to a new and improved methodof setting bearings for the train wheels of a watchmovement in the plates andbridges of the movementframe.

The method herein described and claimedwas originally set forth and claimed in an ap licatlon for Letters Patent filed by me Ju y 12, 1911, Serial Na -638,119, entitled Jeweled watch movement and method of producing the same, of which application the resent application is a divislon.

T e method, which forms the subject particularly of the present invention, has relation to the mode of setting jewels and other hearings for the staffs of movement wheels in the watch plates in a manner causing them to be firmly held and yet permitting their adjustment'when necessary, and

further to a mode of securing approximately the correct positionsfor the settings in the complemental plates of the movement.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 have illustrated a watch movement rame having bearings for the stall pivots of the.

movement wheels and one 0 such wheels with its bearings and the complemental plates of the watch greatly enlarged, to-

ether with views illustrating a suitable orm of apparatus or means by which the method may be carried into effect.

In the drawings, igure 1 represents a f a watch movement frame as is material to illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a tool employed to set the bearing in the top plate. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a tool adapted to set the bearings in the bottom or pillar plate. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the operating part of one of the dies or'punches employed with the tool.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

watch movements to hold the staff pivots of the train wheels are usually stones or ewels, and are commonly called jewels,

ence in the following description I shall refer to such bearings by this name. It is to be understood, however, that this term is descriptive merely, and not intended as a limitation. The jewel'is held ina metallic ring whichis called the setting and is mounted ina plate of the movement frame.

In the accompanying drawings, a represents the bottom plate of the watch movement, which is also termed the pillar plate, and b-represents one of the top plates.

0 represents a jewel hearing or jewel, 03 represents the setting therefor, and 0 represents one of the tram wheels of the watch movement.

The plates have alined holes f and g in which respectively two jewels are mounted so as to provide bearings for the pivots h on the ends of the staif i of the wheel. The holes (I .and g are plain holes, that is, they exten entirely through the plates a and b,

without having the shoulder at one end, which has hitherto been found generally in watch movements. The jewel, instead of being retained in the. ,plate by resting against such a shoulder at one end, and by a screw or a lip of theplate at the other end, is held by expansion of its setting into frictional engagement with the walls of-the operation of opposed, unches or dies 9', one of which is shown in ig. 5, which dies are of such diameter that they can enter the holes f and g, and each of which has on its end a sharp-edged rib is of which the inner face It is straight, that is parallel to its axis,-and the outer face k inclined. When two such tools are pressed against opposite faces of the jewel setting d, they form circular indentations Z and m; The stock of the setting outside of these indentations or grooves is forced outwardly and crowded against the surrounding walls ofthe hole, .into such close frictional engagement therewith that the jewel is heldsecurely in lace.

I Owing tothe described form of the in k and are of uniform diameter throughout,

hole. Such expansion is produced by 00-- The bearings employed in high grade ing the setting against the jewel and crush-cc mg ,the latter. The jewel is thus, securely mounted in the plate, and it may also be shifted endwiseto "the extent "necessary to take up end shake of the wheel.

In mounting the jewels in the top plate or plates, a'tool-sueh asshown in Fig. 3 is used.

This tool has ai-base- 'h the upper 'surfaceof wiser; supports the movement plate, and

adjustably mounted in suchbase, so that it projects above-the supporting surface thereof, is'one of the punches or dies 1'. An overihanging head-Po" has a,-guide"in which a complnientah puhch 'oridietinbeesz The move metre frame, consistingof the top and bottom plates secured together, laid on the.

supporting surface of the base with the bottom plate downw ardj'fTliedower' die then projects through the hole fin the bottom plate into the-hole gof thetop plate, the dist afnce being regulat'ed 'by adjustment of the die, so that the jewel will be mounted in approximately the position required for the particular wheel to be held thereby. The upper punch is then pressed against the jewel setting, with the result previously described.

The tool used for mounting jewels in the bottom plate is shown in Fig. 4. It" has a threaded annular flange 71 upon which is screwed a gage plate q and in which are mounted spring-elevated pins 1', in addition to the punches or dies j. The bottom plate, from which the top plate has been removed after the jewel has been set therein. is laid in an inverted position within the flange p and resting on the pins 1', and so placed that the hole in which the jewel is to be mounted is over the punch j. The gage plate (7 which had previously been removed is now applied to the flange and screwed down until its gaging surface bears against the edge of the flange. Such gaging surface then bears against the rim of the watch plate and presses the latter down against the yleldmg resistance of the spring-pressed pins 1. Then the upper punch is employed in the manner just described to secure the jewel in cooperation with the lower punch.

The positions of the jewels in both plates are gaged with reference to the same edge of the bottom plate, that is, the dial edge, for when mounting a jewel in the top plate, the movement frame rests with this dial edge on the base 02. and in setting a jewel in the bottom plate the latter is held with the dial edge against the gage plate q. In the one case the fixed die is adjusted to project a specified distance above the supporting surface of the base, and in the other case the corresponding die is adjusted at the required distance below the face, of the gage plate (7' when the latter is screwed against the flange 7). These adjustments are so made that the alined jewels in the top and bottom plates are at exactly the correct distance apart to accommodate-the standard staff to. be applied thereto. In practice the distance beamount of end shake may be readily made by simply moving the jewel the necessary distance in either direction in its hole. The frictional engagement between the jewel setting and walls of the hole is not too great to permit of's'uch adjustment, while it is at the same time sufiicient to retain the jewel with the necessary degree of security after the adjustment has been made.

By this invention the assembling and finishing of watch movements may be more easily and quickly effected, and the cost of the same diminished. This is due principally to the following facts: first, that the jewels'need not be removed from the plates after they have once. been mounted second, which is a corollary to the first, that there is no danger of confusing the jewels and'remounting them in the wrong holes; third, that the jewels and their settings can be completed and given their final finish in quantities instead of individually when used, at reduced expense; fourth, that end shake adjustments of the jewels may be made without either cutting the jewel settings or danger of injuring any part thereof, or of the plates; and fifth, that the final finish. such as stoningand ornamental damaskeening, may be given to the top plates before the jewels are mounted.

It is to be understood that-this invention applies to mounting bearings" ofall kinds for time pieces, whethersuch bearings are jewels held in metallic settings,'or consist "entirely of metal bushingsor ringer.

1. The method of settingfapiy'ot bearing in the movement frame-of atime piece, which consists in formingEthej-bearing to fit loosely in a hole in thejframeyplacing the bearing in such hole, and expanding the eripheral portion of the bearing outwar 1y into contact with the walls'of the hole.

2. The method of settings; pivot bearing in the movement frame of a "time piece, which consists in forming the beari'ng'to fit loosely in a hole in the frame, placing the bearing-in such hole, and expanding the peripheral portion of the bearing outwardly into contact with the walls of the hole, leaving the central part of the bearingfree from distortion. 4

3. The method of setting a pivot bearing in the movement frame of a time piece,

which consists in forming the bearing to fit loosely in a hole in the frame, placing the bearing in such hole, and pressing simul thereby expanding the rim into contact with the walls of the hole. V

4. A method of mounting a jeweled bearingin a'time piece, the bearing in a hole inof the time piece and forcing the metal of the jewel setting between the jewel and the rim of the setting outwardly against the walls of the hole, leaving the metal of the settin adjacent to the jewel in substantially its original condition.

5. A method of mounting a jeweled hearing in a time piece, which consists in plac ing the bearing in' a hole in the movement frame of the time piece, and indenting the opposite end faces of the jewel setting simultaneously at points near the eriphery of such setting y means of in enting. tools having indenting portions beveled on their outer faces and substantially parallel with the axis of the bearing on their inner faces, such indenting portions being located near the rim of the setting, whereby the material of the settin near thefrim is forced outwardly and t atadjacent to the jewel is left substantially undisturbed and undistorted. 6. The method of mounting-a movement wheel bearing-with a watch movement plate, which consists in placing the bearing in a hole in such plate and pressing upon the op posite faces of the bearing near the eriphergl thereof by oppositely arrange tools g l'ch are adapted to enter the ends of such 7. The method of crowding the periphery of a movement wheel bearing into frictional engagement with the walls of a hole in the movement plate of a time iece, which con-- sists in pressing against t e opposite ends of the setting by means of tools having annular shar ned ribs upon their ends, the inner walls 0 which ribs are cylindrical and the which consists in placing the movement frame.

outer walls of which are beveled, thereby crowding the stock of the bearing between the peri hery ofsthe bearing and such ribs outwar y-in all directions, and leaving the stock within the space bounded by the .ribs

- substantially undistorted.

8. The method of mounting a movement wheel bearing in the movement plate of a time 1 piece, which consists in holding the movement plate in a predetermined position,

placing .the'bearing in a hole in such plate in which the bearing is adapted to enter freely, andapplying pressure to the peripheral portions. of the bearing at opposlte ends of the bearing simultaneously in directions perpendicular to the plane in which the plate isheld, such pressure being applied evenly at all points of contact with the press-- ing means, whereby the peripheral portion of the bearing is expanded into contact with the walls of the hole, and the entire bearing is made parallel with the planeof the plate.

A9. The method of setting complemental bearings in the .top and bottom plates of a watch movement at a specified distance apart, which consists in providing such plates with holes to receive the bearings, securin the plates together with such holes in al1nement,' laying the connected plates upon a supporting surface with the bottom plate in contact with said surfaces, arranging a punch or die to project through the hole in the bottom plate a specified distance from such'surface, placing a bearing in the hole in the top plate, pressing upon said bearing-with a complemental punch or die, whereby the bearing is compressed between the punches or dies and expanded into contact with the walls of the. hole inv the top plate, removing the top plate, holding the bottom plate in contact with a gaging surface, arranging apunch or die with its 'end at a specified distance from the plane of such surface, and in alinement with a hole in the bottom plate, placing a bearing in such hole in contact-with said punch or die and forcing the complemental die against the bearing.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

OLOF OHLSON.

Witnesses:

H. BaowN, P. W. Pezzm'n. 

